Vaccine for Newborns

If a pregnant mother is found with a dangerous microbe before labor, usually a doctor will administer an antibiotic to kill the dangerous organism called GBS or Group B (strep-ti-cock-us).

Trouble is many of these bugs have become resistant and can have a deadly effect on newborns, but there's hope on the horizon.

Doctor Sharon Hillioer is trying to stamp out a common but deadly bug known as Group B, Streptococccus. If the bug is transmitted from mom to baby during labor, it can be dangerous.

Dr. hillier says sometimes the organism can invade the baby and cause an infection of the blood or brain and this infection can be fatal.

Dr. Hillier is testing a single injection of a new vaccine in women to see if it can stop GBS from invading the reproductive tract. The vaccine is active against the most common form of GBS.

About 3 to 5 thousand babies in the US are infected with GBS each year. Perhaps because fatal cases of GBS are rare, manufacturers in the u-s have been slow to show interest in a vaccine.

Dr. Hillier says because it is pretty rare, most think it's not a big deal. But if it is your baby and you've done everything right, it is an absolute tragedy.Lynn Reid knows that firsthand. When she gave birth to Jason, antibiotics failed and she transmitted GBS to her baby. He nearly died and still has health problems.

Lynn Reid says, "If I had been vaccinated for Group B Strep, I wouldn't have gotten it, and none of this would have happened."

She hopes the vaccine will protect future mothers from going through what she did. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.

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